The Effects of Caregiving for a Family Member with Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive disease that leads people with AD to become dependent on a family member. As the disease worsens, caregivers face an increase in responsibility and burden. There is a rising number of AD cases which will result in an increase of caregivers. Twelve articles were examined using the EBSCO database by using keywords such as “Alzheimer’s disease,” “caregiver burden,” “coping,” “assisted living,” and “grief.” An analysis of these articles indicated the complexities of caregiving for a loved one with AD. These complexities such as stress, decision-making challenges, changes in family dynamics, the adjustment to placing someone with AD in assisted living, and the impact of caregiving on family relationships were prevalent. While it is important to note that most of the effects of caregiving for a loved one with AD were negative, positive effects such as satisfaction in caregiving were still observed in studies. Caregiver burden was a central theme throughout studies and attempts to describe a caregiver’s experience. An aspect of this burden that was examined included the decision process and effects of placing someone with AD in an assisted living home. Through these factors, research on how families are affected indicates a change in family dynamics. The studies concurred on the need for continued research to understand the experience of a caregiver and that of their family. Moreover, further research will help individuals and families be more prepared for the changes that come with caregiving.